Six added to Brampton Sports Hall of Fame

NEW INDUCTEES:

Photo by Bryon Johnson

Six new names have been added to the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame. Among those inducted at a special ceremony on Wednesday evening were, from left, Ron Fellows, Bill Castator, Linda Skillen, Mark Janoschak and Peter Sjouwerman. Missing was Gillian Apps.

What follows is the biography’s that will grace the plaques of the 2013 inductees into the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame, located at the Powerade Centre.

GILLIAN APPS
Gillian Apps currently plays for Brampton in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) and was instrumental in Brampton winning the CWHL championship in 2008. Gillian is a two time Olympic Gold Medalist and has been a key contributor to the success of the Canadian women’s hockey team for almost a decade.
It is no surprise that Gillian has become a successful hockey forward since graduating from Havergal College and suiting up with the Beatrice Aeros of the National Women’s Hockey League in 2001. During her year of transition in 2002, Gillian finished a second season with the Aeros and also joined Team Canada in earnest, winning her first gold medals at that year’s Senior Women’s Hockey Championship and Four Nations Cup.
Gillian has compiled an impressive collection of hardware. Over the span of her career she has competed in 11 Four Nations Cup Championships winning gold 10 times (2002 – 2010, 2012) and 1 silver. She won Olympic gold in Torino 2006 as a 22 year old and repeated again in 2010 in Vancouver at the age of 26. Gillian has competed in 7 IIHF World Women’s Championships winning gold 3 times (2004, 2007 and 2012) and collecting 4 silver medals (2005, 2008, 2009 and 2011).
Other notable hockey achievements occurred while Gillian was obtaining her Psychology degree at Dartmouth College. In Gillian’s senior year she was named team captain of Dartmouth’s “Big Green” hockey team, helping to earn her the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) player of the year and also earning herself the New England writers MVP award. In addition, she holds numerous ECAC hockey league, player of the week awards and was the ECAC player of the year in 2007. With such accomplishments it is safe to say that hockey is Gillian’s number one sport. However she is a versatile athlete and also enjoys snowboarding, wakeboarding, golf, basketball and soccer. Gillian has been described as a motivational leader, team player, fierce competitor and very driven to succeed.
Gillian descends from a famous hockey family. Her grandfather Syl Apps is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and competed in the pole vault at the 1936 Olympics, while her father, Syl Apps, Jr. is a former National Hockey League player.

RON FELLOWS
Ron Fellows brought fame to the City of Brampton by being recognized as one of North America’s most successful auto racing drivers and for contributing to the development of the sport.
Ron is the only Canadian in the 51-year-history to collect an overall win at the 24 hours of Daytona. Other career highlights include: Two class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans; three American Le Mans Series Driver’s Championships; six NASCAR victories; 19 Trans Am Series wins and the 1989 Player’s/GM Series championship.
Respected among his peers and fans, Ron was voted “Most Popular Driver” four consecutive years while racing in the American Le Mans Series.
Ron was recruited by General Motors in the mid-1990s to develop the Corvette racing program. In 2007, to mark his distinguished tenure with Corvette Racing, Chevrolet introduced the limited edition Ron Fellows ALMS GT1 Champion Corvette Z06, the first signed special edition in Corvette’s history. In 2011 he was inducted into the National Corvette Museum Hall of Fame in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Today, Ron is continuing his nearly 20-year relationship with General Motors and still competes on a part-time basis in NASCAR road course events.
He also works as an ambassador/advisor for Corvette Racing after retiring from long distance racing competition in 2009.
Always committed to the growth and development of his sport, Ron was instrumental in establishing the Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship in 2002. Two years ago, he became the owner - with partners - of Mosport International Raceway (now Canadian Tire Motorsport Park). Ron’s business ventures also include the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School outside Las Vegas, Nev. The school offers entry level and advanced level performance driver-training exclusively featuring Corvette models.
The son of a United Church minister, Ron started to race go-karts and learned to drive a road car while living in Bramalea where his father, the late Rev. Ron Fellows, had a church. Some of Ron’s major strengths include being versatile (highly skilled in a variety of different types of car races); adaptable (he’s one of the most highly skilled sports car racers in the world when racing in the rain), and being known for his ability to communicate with team engineers to set up and develop race cars.
Ron also enjoys playing the guitar and is a proud husband and father. Together with his wife Lynda, they have three children.

MARK JANOSCHAK
Mark Janoschak was born in Bramalea and is a Canadian ice dancer. With partner Jacqueline Petr, he became the 1992 Canadian national champion and represented Canada at the 1992 Winter Olympic Games in Albertville, France placing 12th.
Mark was a member of the Chinguacousy Figure Skating Club from 1977-1988 and grew up skating in Brampton facilities such as Victoria Park Arena. He started competing on the International stage during the 1986-1987 season. Paired with partner Jaqueline Petr the two managed to finish in 7th place at the World Junior Championships in 1987. In 1989, as seniors they placed 6th at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships. The following year, they won the bronze medal in 1990. In 1991, they won the silver medal in the Canadian Championships and qualified for the 1991 World Figure Skating Championships, where they placed 10th. In 1992, Mark and Jacqueline won the gold medal at the national championships earning them the right to compete at the 1992 Winter Olympics. Prior to the start of the Olympic Games there was an injury sustained to Mark’s partner, she required 22 stitches. However, the pair chose to compete and finished 12th in the Olympic Games. Also at the 1992 World Figure Skating Championships, Mark and his partner placed 12th.
Mark has 8 years of International Competitive experience, competing in 18 International Competitions and 7 National Competitions.
After retiring from competitive figure skating, Mark skated professionally in shows. Mark’s professional performing experience includes being the featured performer in: “TORVIL & DEAN Face the Music World Tour”, Canada’s “Champions on Ice” and “Hot Ice”. Mark has also taken part in numerous other performances, exhibitions, commercials and television appearances.
Apart from being a professional skater Mark has a lot of coaching experience. He is a ratings examiner and has a Professional Skaters Association (PSA) Master Rating in Dance and Freestyle. Mark was hired twice by the International Skating Union to help develop International caliber skating around the world by teaching skaters, coaches and judges. Mark is a member of the Professional Skaters Association, Ice Skating Institute and United States Figure Skating Association. He has taught and facilitated at both local and world seminars and conferences. Mark is currently running a skating school in Houston Texas called CanUSkate. According to Mark “with a custom tailored map of success, the sky is the limit”. He is best described as a passionate, talented, determined, dedicated, radical individual who is outgoing and a risk taker.
Mark is married to Tammy who is a renowned figure skating coach and together they have two children, Chrysantha and Zayne.

PETER SJOUWERMAN
Peter Sjouwerman, of the Bramalea Boxing Club, was born in Amsterdam, Holland. Peter’s background in boxing dates back to 1944, when he embarked upon his amateur boxing career in Holland at the age of 12.
During his tenure as an amateur boxer, Peter won 5 provincial titles, was the Dutch Champion in 1954, Forces Champion and European Championship runner-up in 1955.
After coming to Canada, Peter joined the Bramalea Boxing Club as a coach in 1975. In 1976 he became Head Coach, and in 1978 the President of the boxing club.
For 38 years Peter has dedicated his time not only as a coach but also as a mentor and president for the Bramalea Boxing Club.
Peter has also served as the Regional Director of Boxing Ontario. His dedication has developed into 10 Canadian Championships, 6 Canadian Silver Medalists, 40 Ontario Champions, 40 Brampton Cup Championships and two Olympians in Dewith Fraser (1984) and Troy Ross (1996, 2000). Peter has won the 1992 Brampton Civic Award for Long Term Service.
He has won the Brampton Cup Team Award 5 times, twice consecutively (1987, 1988, 1999, 2000 and 2005).
Peter has also won the Ontario Championships Team Award with back-to-back wins in 1988 and 1989.
In addition, Peter has had success in hosting the Brampton Cup Amateur Boxing Tournament. The Brampton Cup is the largest independent amateur boxing tournament in Canada. This event has been hosted by Bramalea Boxing Club and the City of Brampton for the past 36 years and is one of the longest running tournaments in Canada.
As a coach and mentor, Peter has used the Bramalea Boxing Club as a venue for individuals to be themselves and develop self-confidence through the sport of boxing. Peter has demonstrated integrity, character, success and leadership.
Peter has been married to Grace for 54 years. His wife Grace has been the backbone of the boxing club and together they have 2 children and 3 grandchildren.

LINDA SKILLEN
Linda Skillen has been providing the Brampton Minor Hockey Association with strong leadership for over 30 years and is still actively involved.
Aside from being a long time dedicated volunteer of Brampton Hockey (formerly known as Brampton Minor Hockey Association and Brampton Youth Hockey Association), she also volunteered with the Ontario Minor Hockey Association.
Linda is very well respected within the Brampton Youth Hockey community for her knowledge of the game, the rules and other operating procedures.
Over the years Linda has been a very efficient volunteer and has been very reliable. Linda was a Board Member, an Executive Member, Vice President of Rep Hockey, Ice Scheduler and the Referee Scheduler.
While volunteering, Linda was given a tremendous amount of responsibilities and always rose to the task.
Linda is currently a member of the Rep Committee and is an Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) League Convener.
Linda has been recognized for her contributions as she was recipient of the Harry Cameron Memorial Award for outstanding contribution to Brampton Youth Hockey (1998 - 1999).
Linda continues to provide strong support for Brampton Hockey and is always willing to get involved, helping others, serving as a mentor and inspiring volunteerism.

BILL CASTATOR
Bill Castator, veteran player affectionately known as “Cas” of the Brampton Excelsiors, was always one of the most respected defensive players to put on a uniform.
Bill played four Junior A seasons (1953 – 1956) with the Oshawa Green Gaels and Brampton Excelsiors. In 1956, he was named the Junior “A” Top Scorer and Most Valuable Player, leading the Excelsiors to a Minto Cup.
Bill’s Senior “A” career spanned from 1958 – 1967 with the Excelsiors and in 1960 he was voted as the League’s Most Valuable Player. In 1961 and 1962, “Cas” led Brampton to win the Eastern Championships but was unable to get past the Vancouver Burrards and New Westminister O’Keefes to win the national title in both respective years.
However in 1966, Bill was a pick-up player for Peterborough that went on to win the Mann Cup.
Bill has competed in a total of 5 Mann Cups. He was also a member of the bronze medal winning 1967 Team Canada Men’s Field Lacrosse Team.
Bill was player coach for the Montreal Canadiens in the Professional National Lacrosse League in 1968.
Bill is no stranger to the “Halls of Fame”. Bill was inducted into the Ontario Lacrosse Association Hall of Fame in 1997 and inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2011. Bill has also spent many years coaching lacrosse and mentoring the youth of Brampton.